2012/08/31

Time for another round of braided bangs. I hope you've had time to practice the first one. I know some of you have. This is the braid you asked for the most, so here's the step by step tutorial:

A few notes about this one. As you can see from the pictures, you'll only be adding hair from one side of the braid. These kinds of one-sided braids can have the tendency to stick up on the side that doesn't gather hair. So, I've found that it helps to flatted the braid as you go along, like I do in picture 7. Be careful not to pull the gathering side too tight. Also, once you're done, mold the braid with your fingers to help it stay flat. And, if needed, add a few pins to pin the stick-up side down.

I hope you'll have fun practicing over the weekend. If you have any questions about this tutorial, please leave them in the comments. I'll be happy to explain some more. All of your feedback is greatly appreciated!

2012/08/30

I can't believe my Etsy shop relaunch is just a few days away. I still have like a million and one things to do, but I'm getting excited. Opening up shop is just as scary as it was the first time around. Will people like my creations? Will they want to buy them? Are they willing to pay that price? And there's the photography, listing descriptions, SEO, the sort of new About page and other small things that can make or break a sale.

On Tuesday I made packaging. I wanted it to be pretty, but still as eco-friendly as possible. I'm sure I'll play around with different ideas some more, but I'm rather fond of the solution I came up with.

You might have guessed it, although you may not believe it (I've just always wanted to say that). Yes, I'm going to be selling vintage button earrings, as well as collar necklaces and reclaimed leather and upcycled jersey accessories. I'm going to share the whole process from the box of vintage earrings I got from a local reuse center to the washing, sorting and making of the earrings next week. But, for now, the above picture gives you just a little sneak peek at what will be in store.

2012/08/29

It's time to reinvent my wardrobe once again. This time I combined 5 outfits using my one shoulder ruffle top that I made about a year ago. Since then it has gotten ridiculously few wares, so it's time to bring it out and let it shine. The problem with this top is really very easy - I made it for a festive occasion and have associated it with formal wear ever since. I find it hard to create an outfit with it that I could wear to school every day, and that would enable me to get more use out of it.
To hear more about the outfits and what I learned, click "Read more" below.

2012/08/27

I was cleaning my room before my birthday back in June and among other things I found two little boxes full of little things from the past. The pendants that my grandmother had given me years back, the key and lock to my very first diary, my Mom's old elephant pendant I used to love... Looking at these things brought back so many emotions from my teenage years and so many nice memories. It was such a warm feeling, and I wanted to carry that feeling with me. So I made a necklace that would remind me of those precious memories. And I think I'm going to make many more...

2012/08/26

Today's tutorial is simple, quick and smokin' hot. If you're new to the refashion business, a good old t-shirt makeover is just the place to start. It doesn't require a lot of sewing experience or skills. And, all you need is a simple t-shirt and a bit of stretchy lace. Oh, and the fun part? The heart changes color (wink wink)!

School is quickly approaching, which meant this week was all about taking in the last of the holidays and getting ready for school. The weather didn't cooperate at all, it was pouring rain almost all week. The last few days were spent packing and getting things ready for the move back to the city. Last calm and quiet days at my parent's in the countryside before the whole school-year spent in the noisy city.

Nothing but a kiss to put a little smile on his face

We did manage to squeeze in a photo shoot in the half hour without rain, and went on a date in the cozy Põhjaka manor. We haven't had a date night in a while, so it was really nice to go someplace, just the two of us, and take some time to eat and talk (the last one is more of a chore for him, but he loves me, and lets me talk).

2012/08/24

It seems that a lot of you want to get your bangs out of your face, cause you all wanted to know how I braided mine in last Friday's post. So, here's the first tutorial in this series. The next one will be up next week, so you'll have a little time to try this out and practice.

(Sidenote - braiding is a serious business, hence the wrinkles on my forehead and the look on my face in picture 9.)

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. See you in the comments!

2012/08/23

So, I’ve come to the point where I've learned from my mistakes, I have an idea that motivates me and my preliminaty calculations show it could work. What now?

Now is the time to take an even closer look at my business idea and create a business plan. Every article I’ve ever read about starting a business says you should have a plan. But, I still thought I didn’t need one when I started my Etsy shop a year ago. Boy, was I wrong! Taking the time to write a half-decent business plan could have saved me from a lot of heartache and possibly a couple of worrylines. So, this time around I wanted to make sure I didn’t make the same mistake twice. I’m not completely finished with my plan, but I wanted to share these helpful articles, in case you’re about to start writing your own.

From time to time I'm going to share my sewing projects and creations with you. As I've gone more and more into refashions, I've sewn less from scratch. And, for the past year I've mostly sewn for other people and my shop, so I've created very little for myself. Well, that's about to change. I'm determined to sew for me more, and to create the wardrobe I'd love.

Yet, this top was originally meant to go to one of my best friends. My girls were in Tallinn this weekend and she made a joke about wanting me to sew her a top. Well, I thought why not?! Unfortunately (or, fortunately, lol) the outcome didn't fit her right. So, I made a few alterations and this gorgeous top was all mine.

I used a cream white stretch lace and a matching jersey knit for the lining. I made the back sheer just for fun. This was actually what caused the misfit for my friend. If you have a big bust, it's wise to check that the front and back have the same stretchiness. My lace had way more stretch than my jersey knit and that's where the problems started.

I created the pattern using a simple tank top pattern from Burda. You could also trace one of your existing tank tops to get the pattern. For the peplum I used the skirt panels form Victory patterns Ava. I just put the center and side pice together making one pattern piece and cut it on fold. I think it would also be rather simple to develop your own pattern for this. It should be half a circle. The principles are the same as developing a circle skirt pattern. There are lots of helpful tutorials for that.

To be honest, I hadn't made myself a peplum top because I was afraid the peplum would accentuate my pear-shaped body. But, I'm actually very happy with the outcome and I think it gives more focus to my tiny waist than my wider hips. So, another peplum top might be in my near sewing future.

2012/08/21

I saw this type of bracelet a long time ago on Pinterest and was immediately smitten. I thought it would be the perfect way to recycle old t-shirts. I made this about a month ago, and last week I started to see similar tutorials popping up all over the web. So, I was a little hesitant to put this tutorial up, but I thought I'd do it anyway since I feel that every tutorial offers something unique.

2012/08/20

Those who know me already know I love a simple fix. I love it when you can give a garment a new life with just a few simple steps. Adding a bit of lace is just one of those easy and quick ways to transform a garment. And, when lace and skirts meet, you can be certain the outcome will look simply adorable.

I can't believe the summer is rolling to a close. It's seems that this year summer has skipped Estonia 'cause we only had a few hot days to enjoy. But, like my mother says, if their's no summer you just have to make it up. And so we did. We travelled with Tamar's family to Estonia's biggest island Saaremaa and visited all the amazing and beautiful places it had to offer. The trip was full of gorgeous scenery and fun memories. I thought I'd share some moments from that trip with you as well.

2012/08/16

I've been growing out my bangs for the last couple of months and anyone who's ever done it or is doing it right now knows it can be rather annoying. This is why braids have become my hairdo staple. I braid my bangs almost every day. I can't wait for the hair to be long enough to put behind the ear or into a ponytail. But until then, braids can help me keep calm. So, my fellow bang-growing champions, I'm sharing four ideas to help you through the rough patch after the break.

Last week I wrote about the business lessons I’ve learned in the past year while operating my Etsy shop. If you’ve read it, you know that I learned a lot, and althought my first attempts in business were not a big success, I’m not ready to give up yet. As I’m typing this, reruns of Oprah are running on tv in the backround. I really liked one of the things she said in one of her shows.

“If you know better, you do better” - Oprah Winfrey

I couldn’t agree more. I think all the experiences in our life teach us to know better and to do better. For me, the only way I could do that is to go back to the drawing board.

For the last month I’ve been searching for the right idea. I started analyzing my business and discovered that my current business model is not working for me. I’m no able to produce as much as I’d need to make a profit and keep my store stocked. So, I had to find a new idea that would still entail all the principals of production that were so important to me, and would still excite and motivate me to make it happen. Now that I’ve finally come to a solution that works for me, I’m ready to share some tips that really helped me.

2012/08/15

This is me on an ordinary day. This is me in my comfort zone. Simple outfit, simple accessories, simple sandals. For me, summer mostly means days spent in comfy clothes, no make-up and random hair. In the summer I'm super boring. I guess that's one of the reasons I started the wardrobe reinvention project. To make an effort, even during the summer.

One of the ways I could make a small effort is with shoes.

Flats - thrifted

I tried flats. They're navy blue which is always a plus, and they match this outfit well (maybe even too well?). They're still comfy, but they do add a little something something.

Heels - vintage, from my Grandma

But then, I went completely out of my comfort zone and put on THE Heels. Actually, they are very comfortable given their hight. And I felt great! They gave this simple outfit a completely new feel. I actually felt stylish, even with my old favorite jeans and a denim shirt that dates back to my elementary school days. I'm not sure I'm ready to go out on town in these just yet, but I'm definitely going to do it real soon. They are awesome and deserve it.

2012/08/14

Today's post is a little bit different. It's not a tutorial nor a craft idea. Today's post is about the people behind the scenes (or rather in front of them). Marianne has been my personal supermodel for the last couple of years, helping me by modeling my projects on my blog. She was my little helper at my previous blog and is already a very familiar face here at Pearls & Scissors. I think it's time you got to know her better.

2012/08/13

This white dress did a full round. It was given to me by Tamar's middle sister Marita. She had ordered it somewhere but didn't like the way it looked on her. I didn't quit fancy its looks myself. So it stood in my to refashion pile for a couple of years. Finally, a lightbulb went on in my head this summer when I was planning to dye some things. Dyeing seemed to be the perfect solution for this dress. This just shows that sometimes you have to wait for the right idea, even if it takes years. The funny thing is, that although I really liked the refashioned dress I felt I have outgrown its style. So, I gave it to Marita's little sister, the lovely young lady modeling it.

I love the dress on her. Pink is so her color. What do you think? Love it or not so much? Have you tried dyeing already? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

2012/08/12

This week has been all about vacation and visiting the old and familiar places. We spent three days at my Grandmother's and visited Tamar's great aunt at the beginning of the week. I scored a lot of new fabric and a few vintage pieces. Tamar was rolling his eyes at all the stuff I gathered from our trip. My grandmother has things stashed away you wouldn't believe. I'll share even more in coming posts. But today, I'll share some snippets from our week.

at Tamar's great aunt. Love the clock.

She still uses this radio.

Vintage badges at my Grandma's, which have hung on this curtain all my life.

This is how he sleeps when I'm gone. I'm easy to replace apparently.

Vintage shoes. They're mine now!

My Grandma bought these for my Mom more than 30 years ago. They're awesome and now they're mine.

2012/08/10

For me, summer and braids simply go together. This braided crown is very easy to make and suitable for a beginner, who's only just starting to experiment with braided updos. And, if you have really thick hair, this hairdo is perfect for you. I think it looks super cute + keeps your hair out of your face.

2012/08/09

A new blog is not the only new venture I’ve taken on this summer. I’m also restarting my online business. I’ve been an Etsy seller for almost a year now and while I’ve learnt a lot, I haven’t had the success I was hoping for. But, I have also learnt the reason for my lack of success. I’ve read loads of articles about starting a small business, and experienced first hand the struggles of starting a business without any knowledge about running a business. I want you to avoid my mistakes, so I’m starting a blog series about starting and running a small business. I’ll share the mistakes that I’ve made and what I’ve learned and my adventures in kicking my business into a new gear. Hopefully, this will help you in making your dreams come true.

2012/08/08

It's time for another installment of "Wardrobe reinvention". Last week I wrote about switching style by incorporating the same item into 2 totally different styles. This week I'm kicking it up a notch. I often get stuck into pairing together the same garments over and over again. I find a good combination and stick with it rather than exploring new and exciting combos. So, I set myself the challenge of putting together 6 outfits using the same skirt in every one of them. To make it even more challenging, I chose a skirt that I've worn only a couple of times since I bought it from a thrift store.

My name is Hanna. I'm an Estonian girl currently living in Leverkusen, Germany. I have a passion for handmade, singing, psychology, and making dreams come true. I believe we are all creative spirits, and that creativity is the best therapy. This is where I share my ideas, inspiration, craft projects, and life musings. Click on the photo above to learn more about me and this blog.

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